Haworthia plant named ‘CAPETOWN’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Haworthia  cultivar named ‘CAPETOWN’ is disclosed, characterized by unique dotted leaves, top and underside. The new variety has strong roots and faster than normal growth rate. The new variety is a  Haworthia , normally produced as an outdoor garden or container plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Haworthia fasciata.

Variety denomination: ‘CAPETOWN’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new Haworthia cultivar is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the inventor, Rogier Willems, in Tielen, Belgium. Theobjective of the breeding program was to produce new Haworthia varietiesfor ornamental commercial applications. The cross resulting in this newvariety was made approximately at an unidentifiable date, before 2008.

The seed parent is a unpatented, unnamed, proprietary seedling varietyof Haworthia fasciata. The pollen parent is unknown, as the crossingresulting in ‘CAPETOWN’ was an open pollination, with unidentifiablepollen parents. The new variety was discovered in July 2008 by theinventor in a group of seedlings resulting from the crossing, in aresearch greenhouse in Tielen, Belgium.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘CAPETOWN’ by tissue cultureand vegetative cuttings was first performed at a research greenhouse inTielen, Belgium in July 2008 and has shown that the unique features ofthis cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘CAPETOWN’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘CAPETOWN’ These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘CAPETOWN’ as a new and distinct Haworthiacultivar:

-   -   1. White dots on upper and lower side of leaves.    -   2. Stronger roots than typical of Haworthia.    -   3. Faster growth rate.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘CAPETOWN’ are similar to plants of the seedparent in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the newcultivar ‘CAPETOWN’ produce leaves with white spots on top and whitedots on the underside, whereas the seed parent produces whites stripestop and underside of the leaf. ‘CAPETOWN’ also has stronger roots and afaster growth rate than the seed parent.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘CAPETOWN’ are similar to plants of otherknown commercial Haworthia fasciata varieties in most horticulturalcharacteristics. However, from the inventor's information, ‘CAPETOWN’ isthe only variety producing the particular pattern of white dots on theupper and lower foliage surfaces. ‘CAPETOWN’ also has stronger roots andhigher growth rate than other Haworthia fasciata varieties known to theinventor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color atypical plant of ‘CAPETOWN’ grown in a greenhouse, in a 13 cm pot. Ageof the plant photographed is approximately 11 months from a rootedcutting.

The photograph was taken using conventional techniques and althoughcolors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectanceit is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart 2005 except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe ‘CAPETOWN’ plants grown in a greenhouse inTielen, Belgium. The growing temperature ranged from 18° C. to 28° C.during the day and from 13° C. to 18° C. during the night. General lightconditions are bright, normal sunlight. Measurements and numericalvalues represent averages of typical plant types. Plants areapproximately 11 months old from a rooted plantlet.

-   Botanical classification: Haworthia fasciata ‘CAPETOWN’.

PROPAGATION

-   Time to initiate roots: About 70 days at approximately 20-28° C.-   Root description: Moderately thick, moderately branched, slightly    fibrous, slightly fleshy, colored near RHS Greyed-Yellow 161C.-   Propagation method: Vegetative divisions or tissue culture.

PLANT

-   Growth habit: Upright, from basal rosettes.-   Height: Approximately 12.3 cm to top of highest leaf.-   Plant spread: Approximately 18.7 cm.-   Growth rate: Moderate.-   Branching characteristics: No main or lateral branches, plant    consists of basal rosette.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:    -   -   Arrangement.—Basal rosette.        -   Average length.—Approximately 9.8 cm.        -   Average width.—Approximately 1.5 cm (measured at ⅓ from the            base).        -   Shape of blade.—Narrow lanceolate, straight.        -   Apex.—Narrow acute.        -   Base.—Broad cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture of top surface.—Pustulate.        -   Texture of bottom surface.—Pustulate, in axillary bands.        -   Quantity of leaves per plant.—Approximately 125.        -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: Near RHS Green N137A, base            lighter; Yellow-Green 145A, leaf covered with small dots            (pustulate), colored near RHS White N155D. Young foliage            under side: Near RHS Green N137B, base lighter; Yellow-Green            145B, leaf covered with small dots (pustulate) connected to            axillary stripes, coloured near RHS White N155D. Mature            foliage upper side: A color in between RHS Green N137D and            147A, base lighter; Green N137D, leaf covered with small            dots (pustulate), coloured near RHS White N155D. Average            diameter of dots: 1 mm. Mature foliage under side: Near RHS            Green N137A, base lighter; N137D, leaf covered with small            dots (pustulate) connected to axillary stripes, coloured            near RHS NN155D. Average width of stripes: 1.8 mm, stripes            are placed approximately 3 mm apart from each other.        -   Venation.—Type: Linear. Venation color upper side: A color            in between RHS N137D and 147A, base lighter; N137D. Venation            color under side: Near RHS N137A, lighter at the base;            N137D.

FLOWER

-   No flowers observed to date.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Seeds and fruits: No seed or fruit observed to date.-   Disease/pest resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to    diseases and pests has been observed.-   Temperature tolerance: Tolerates temperatures from approximately    5° C. to 45° C.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Haworthia plant named ‘CAPETOWN’ as herein illustrated and described. 